"If I could, then yes, I would. But you know that
isn't going to happen. My job is very important. You know that."
"I know. I was just wondering. I hope that I'll be able to stay home with my children when I get older. I don't want them to feel ignored," she told him certainly.
He was a little upset by this remark, but happy with his daughter's decision at the same time. He knew she was very smart and would be perfect for his line of work, but he secretly hoped that she wouldn't get into it, especially as deeply as he had.
"I know it's getting late, but can I stay up with you a little longer? Since you're probably leaving tomorrow. Do you think you'll have some time to spend with me first?"
"Yes, we should. I have to go in about four, so we'll have a little time before I go."
Sydney smiled a little. "I'm glad. I'm going to miss you, Dad. But I promise, next time you're here I'll be good. What if... if you miss my birthday again?"
Jack didn't know if he'd be back for Sydney's birthday or not, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't be able to send her a present from wherever it was he might be. There was no way. So, he felt the best thing to tell her was that they'd celebrate together, special, when he returned. This pleased her greatly. She was getting tired now, even though she didn't have to get up early to go to school.
"Go to sleep. I'll be here tomorrow when you get up."
"Just ten minutes, Daddy. Please?"
"All right. Ten more minutes, then to bed. You're falling asleep."
"I'd like to fall asleep right here with you," she sighed. "You wouldn't mind would you?"
"No, but your bed would be more comfortable. We'll have time to do something tomorrow."
Actually, as Jack said this, an idea popped into his head. He'd ask Edith to take Sydney out early in the morning on some errand. While they were gone, he'd go out and get a cake and decorations as well as a present-- and they'd have her birthday tomorrow. He'd told her different, which would make it a surprise. He did know Sydney liked surprises.
~~~~~~
Jack had to hurry to finish getting everything ready before Sydney came in the door. He made it with just seconds to spare. As soon as Sydney came in, she came looking for him, finding him in the living room, which was now decorated with straemers and balloons. Sydney saw this, and her mouth fell open in surprise, even before her father could say the word.
"Oh DADDY!" she squealed. "This is perfect!" Sydney was so excited, and she felt like it made up for all the other birthdays her father had missed.
"This is wonderful! I didn't think you were going to do anything until after you got back! This is the greatest thing you've ever done."
Jack was so happy he'd done the right thing for once. He was a little surprised when Sydney nearly knocked him over when she came running to hug him.
Sydney kept him in that hug for seconds that seemed very long to Jack. Not in a bad way; they should have been able to do this years ago. "Daddy, this is so perfect," she whispered into his ear. "Did Edith come up with the idea?" He held the child a moment longer, then held her at arms length so she could see his eyes and know he was telling the truth.
"No, I did. I thought it would make you happy, and in case I don't get back in time for.... I'm just glad you like it."
Sydney was surprised that her father had thought of something to please her on his own and was very proud. He'd had some trouble finding some things to buy her at the last minute so she'd have presents to open, and he planned to leave some money for Edith to buy her more for her real birthday. She'd given him suggestions of what to buy for his daughter, of course, as he wasn't very good at it. He'd picked out some books Edith thought she would like.
"She started this mystery series, but she reads them so fast. She wants to finish though, and these are the next ones in the series." So he'd bought those as well as a few other things and wrapped them. He had to buy a cake from the grocer, as it would have been too short of notice for one from the bakery. It didn't matter because Sydney loved it all.
After they had finished the cake and opened the presents, it was time for Jack to leave for the airport. He quickly put a single small suitcase in his trunk and was ready to go. Sydney supposed he'd packed last night after she'd fallen asleep. She walked over and stood next to him as he waited in the entryway for a taxi to take him to the airport.
"Daddy, I'm really going to miss you, and I wish you didn't have to leave me again. Thank you so much for the party, I've never had a real birthday party with you here before."
"I know Sydney. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. If I'm back before your birthday, then we'll surely do it again. And now, it will be one of our yearly traditions."
"Okay!"
Her father hugged her once more. If Sydney had known that was going to be the last hug from her father for six months, she would have held on tighter and longer. She let him go though, and watched him climb into his cab and drive away. She waved to the car until it was merely a yellow speck.
Three months later, Sydney's classes let out for the summer. She found out from her teacher that she would be skipping from from 5th grade to 7th. Sydney wondered who'd given permission, since she hadn't seen her father since the end of winter, but didn't ask. Edith let her walk home now. Sydney usually did this slowly. It was her time to think. She'd begun to doubt in the last few weeks that her father would ever be coming back. He'd been gone a full three months now, with no contact at all.
"I know. I was just wondering. I hope that I'll be able to stay home with my children when I get older. I don't want them to feel ignored," she told him certainly.
He was a little upset by this remark, but happy with his daughter's decision at the same time. He knew she was very smart and would be perfect for his line of work, but he secretly hoped that she wouldn't get into it, especially as deeply as he had.
"I know it's getting late, but can I stay up with you a little longer? Since you're probably leaving tomorrow. Do you think you'll have some time to spend with me first?"
"Yes, we should. I have to go in about four, so we'll have a little time before I go."
Sydney smiled a little. "I'm glad. I'm going to miss you, Dad. But I promise, next time you're here I'll be good. What if... if you miss my birthday again?"
Jack didn't know if he'd be back for Sydney's birthday or not, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't be able to send her a present from wherever it was he might be. There was no way. So, he felt the best thing to tell her was that they'd celebrate together, special, when he returned. This pleased her greatly. She was getting tired now, even though she didn't have to get up early to go to school.
"Go to sleep. I'll be here tomorrow when you get up."
"Just ten minutes, Daddy. Please?"
"All right. Ten more minutes, then to bed. You're falling asleep."
"I'd like to fall asleep right here with you," she sighed. "You wouldn't mind would you?"
"No, but your bed would be more comfortable. We'll have time to do something tomorrow."
Actually, as Jack said this, an idea popped into his head. He'd ask Edith to take Sydney out early in the morning on some errand. While they were gone, he'd go out and get a cake and decorations as well as a present-- and they'd have her birthday tomorrow. He'd told her different, which would make it a surprise. He did know Sydney liked surprises.
~~~~~~
Jack had to hurry to finish getting everything ready before Sydney came in the door. He made it with just seconds to spare. As soon as Sydney came in, she came looking for him, finding him in the living room, which was now decorated with straemers and balloons. Sydney saw this, and her mouth fell open in surprise, even before her father could say the word.
"Oh DADDY!" she squealed. "This is perfect!" Sydney was so excited, and she felt like it made up for all the other birthdays her father had missed.
"This is wonderful! I didn't think you were going to do anything until after you got back! This is the greatest thing you've ever done."
Jack was so happy he'd done the right thing for once. He was a little surprised when Sydney nearly knocked him over when she came running to hug him.
Sydney kept him in that hug for seconds that seemed very long to Jack. Not in a bad way; they should have been able to do this years ago. "Daddy, this is so perfect," she whispered into his ear. "Did Edith come up with the idea?" He held the child a moment longer, then held her at arms length so she could see his eyes and know he was telling the truth.
"No, I did. I thought it would make you happy, and in case I don't get back in time for.... I'm just glad you like it."
Sydney was surprised that her father had thought of something to please her on his own and was very proud. He'd had some trouble finding some things to buy her at the last minute so she'd have presents to open, and he planned to leave some money for Edith to buy her more for her real birthday. She'd given him suggestions of what to buy for his daughter, of course, as he wasn't very good at it. He'd picked out some books Edith thought she would like.
"She started this mystery series, but she reads them so fast. She wants to finish though, and these are the next ones in the series." So he'd bought those as well as a few other things and wrapped them. He had to buy a cake from the grocer, as it would have been too short of notice for one from the bakery. It didn't matter because Sydney loved it all.
After they had finished the cake and opened the presents, it was time for Jack to leave for the airport. He quickly put a single small suitcase in his trunk and was ready to go. Sydney supposed he'd packed last night after she'd fallen asleep. She walked over and stood next to him as he waited in the entryway for a taxi to take him to the airport.
"Daddy, I'm really going to miss you, and I wish you didn't have to leave me again. Thank you so much for the party, I've never had a real birthday party with you here before."
"I know Sydney. I'm glad you enjoyed it so much. If I'm back before your birthday, then we'll surely do it again. And now, it will be one of our yearly traditions."
"Okay!"
Her father hugged her once more. If Sydney had known that was going to be the last hug from her father for six months, she would have held on tighter and longer. She let him go though, and watched him climb into his cab and drive away. She waved to the car until it was merely a yellow speck.
Three months later, Sydney's classes let out for the summer. She found out from her teacher that she would be skipping from from 5th grade to 7th. Sydney wondered who'd given permission, since she hadn't seen her father since the end of winter, but didn't ask. Edith let her walk home now. Sydney usually did this slowly. It was her time to think. She'd begun to doubt in the last few weeks that her father would ever be coming back. He'd been gone a full three months now, with no contact at all.